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On the 22nd of August 2019 at the Lakme Fashion Week Winter/ Festive 2019, Aavaran’s ‘An Ode to Dabu’ collection was showcased. The Udaipur based label brought Dabu mud resist, hand dying, block print garments into the fashion world again. Aavaran started in 2011, is the brainchild of Alka Sharma who is a textile graduate from the Indian Institute of Crafts and Design. It was established in Udaipur by the Centre of the Study of Values (COS-V), a leading NGO that is for the development of women and child in Southern Rajasthan. The Aavaran brand retails from Udaipur, Bengaluru, Chennai, Options, Ogaan, Ensemble, Artisans, Mélange, Aza as well as stores in New York, Korea and Japan.

The collection – Miniature Moon opened with energy, swirling and twirling were Manisha Rathod and Pooja Chauhan to the traditional music setting the mood for the audience waiting to watch the ramp. The Miniature Moon collection showcased at the Lakme Fashion Week Winter/ Festive 2019 by Aavaran was an ode to Dabu and took inspiration from the artworks of Anne Vilsboell. With hues of indigo, blue, grey slowly moving to green, haldi, madder red gold and silver foil created a celestial, space like serene aura where the garments were showcased offering a mesmerizing experience to the viewers and at the same time offering creative choices to the fashionistas.

With majestic and breathtaking structures the silhouettes were inspired by the Indian Royal Costumes on mud resist techniques and hand woven fabrics such as mulberry silk, chanderi, mushroom fabrics – A textile that is developed from mushroom spores and plant fibers. The collection offered Angarkhas, jamas, wide pyjamas, boxy blouses, tunics, kurtas and Pheran style kurtas gave a wide choice to the ethnic dresser. The quaint motifs of Indianised Cherubs, crescent moons, florals and starry skies were created to suit the modern aesthetics of fashion with the help of the ‘pittan’ embroidery techniques.

The collection offered much to the women as it was consisting of blouses, lehengas, long luxurious coats, pants, palazzos, empire line blouses, flared kurtas, smocked long-sleeved maxi and interesting creations with intricate side pleats. The saris with motifs were created in a way that when worn with long coats, short coats, shawl collars it gave an impact of a strong feminine feeling. Jodhpur pants with peplum blouses, faux-front pinafore kurta, flowing empire line gathered gown and the full flared blouse added to the feminine quotient of the collection.

The men’s wear was kept traditional but impactful. There were bundgalas, kurtas, bundi and Jodhpuri pants. Strategic placement prints appeared on the shoulders of sleeves for the robes and kurtas, while the two-toned fabrics were livened up with motifs from the inspiration. Smocking was intricate on the bodice of dresses, while the kurtas and bundies for men had discreet prints.
Mrunal Thakur, the talented Bollywood star took to close the show in a luxurious ivory lehenga with along sleeved peplum blouse with gold motifs.

“An Ode to Dabu” by Aavaran featuring the “Miniature Moon Collection” was a grand offering and will be in the list of many especially because of the wedding and festive season around the corner.